The Projects
by gypsywoman1
Summary: What if there was another project that bonded with the T virus? What if there was a project that was there when it started in the Hive? (Takes place in the first movie and goes throughout the rest.)
1. Chapter 1

_**Note:**__** I have never played the video games, I have watched the movies only to get over my fear of zombies mainly having really horrible nightmares that I can't wake up from. Well I loved the movies and it helped me, I had dreams that I was in them and the idea came to write a story. This takes place in the first movie, just slightly before the events of the outbreak in the hive and I have added my own OC. There were obviously other projects that Umbrella had other than Alice and I figured why not follow the storyline and add my own project into the RE universe. Hope you like it and I'm going to try and stay as true to the character speech as much as possible. :) Enjoy.**_

**Just Outside Raccoon City:**

Phoenix Bennett had been traveling on foot for some time. There were possibilities in Raccoon City that she had heard about from her friend Sarah. She was working with some big time corporation and there was a job waiting for her when she got there. Phoenix didn't really have much to lose or give up. No family, orphaned since the age of 5, no boyfriend and no job because no one wanted to hire her. There was something about her that tended to give people the idea she was bad news or they viewed her as some kind of plague. Raccoon City was a new start for Phoenix. She snickered as she realized she lived up to her name, always rising from the ashes to begin again.

Sighing, the bridge was coming up. Walking with her hiking backpack strapped over her shoulders, wrinkling her long green plaid button up over her black t-shirt. Washed out jeans and a pair of steel toe boots completed the look. Phoenix was what everyone called pretty with her blonde hair, white smile and grey eyes. One step, two steps, three…four…cars were driving by not giving her second glance and those who were walking around her once she was finally in the city didn't bother to meet her eye contact or were willing to help her with directions. Pulling out the piece of paper she had written on her looked around knowing she was close.

Apartment number 17. Spotting it and going for the stairs and up she entered just as a man was exiting. No turning back now. Inhaling and exhaling she knocked, listening patiently as she heard footsteps rush to the door, the wooden plank opening and then she was engulfed in a suffocating embrace.

"I'm so glad you made it!" Sarah said excitedly.

"Are you going to invite me in or are we going to stand outside your apartment all day?"

Sarah separated instantly and rolled her eyes, stepping aside and allowing her friend within her living quarters. They both were like sisters, watching out for the other since the orphanage. Parents never wanted them their whole lives but they didn't mind because they had each other. Moving around together until Sarah got a job a few years ago. Since then it has just been calls and some emails when Phoenix used to have a computer, actually used to have a lot of things. Nothing ever lasted or worked for her for some reason. Like she had bad luck for eternity.

"So how did you get here? I thought you'd have been here sooner Nix."

"You can thank the government for repossessing my car when I lost my job at that retail store back in Kansas."

"What happened?"

Together they moved to the couch to sit down and talk as Phoenix began. "Well there was this other woman there and she didn't like me at all. Believe me I didn't do anything to cause the hate and she planted some items in my bag and framed me for stealing. Also the manager who is a real scumbag, decided for payment for what I did to have sex with him and he wouldn't fire me or tell the authorities. I quit and he didn't tell on me. I was kicked out of my apartment when I got there. I don't doubt they were buddies."

"Oh Nix, that blows. I know you've never really had a great run in your life but I really think it is the best thing that you came here. The job is perfect for you and the management is different than all the others we've dealt with. Trust me. My life got better since I met them. Yours will too."

888

Umbrella Corporation. What kind of a name was that? Phoenix looked at the pictures and the job description that she was handed in a manila folder that Sarah gave her once they were done talking and she had been shown her bedroom. Everything looked red and white, definitely professional and high end. How was she going to keep this job? She didn't have any college experience, she wasn't qualified and yet they wanted her because Sarah had put in a good word for her. They didn't even know Phoenix. That would change tomorrow once she arrived with her friend and was led to some of the management.

An interview as well as a physical. She was going to be put through the standard test which was her first time having to do that. Phoenix's hands shook as she changed her clothes for the night, tying up her hair into a messy bun and climbed under the sheets. What did Umbrella Corporation do? She had never heard of it before and there wasn't much information that she had been given as to what the job description was. All it had said was she would be working with others, hands on and office work. Very vague and it unsettled her.

'_Come on, it'll be okay. See how well it worked out for Sarah? I guess I'm just worried because of my past history.'_

Turning off the light, Phoenix ran through the procedure on how to pick a lock and disarm a security system as she drifted to sleep.

888

"Stop fidgeting."

Phoenix snapped her head to look at her friend, she couldn't help it, she was wearing uncomfortable borrowed clothes, a white blouse, expensive trousers and high heels. She would have preferred to wear her normal items but Sarah said that was not going to make a good impression. This was a different world, a more real world than the one she had left behind before coming here. Sarah turned her to face her as they stood outside of an elevator with a symbol of a red and white umbrella on it.

"Now, once we get down there people will be waiting to take you to take the physical first."

"What about you?"

"I have work to do so I'll be busy but don't worry I'll see you when you are done."

She nodded. The doors opened and they stepped onto the platform before going down. It took quite a long time as if they were going into the last layer of Hell and the doors opened once more. It all happened so fast, Sarah moved ahead and Phoenix went to follow when two men came up and gestured for her to go with them. They must have been the people Sarah spoke of. Through corridors, hallways and past ceiling to floor panes of glass walls showing other workers at desks and in labs, it was all so white and clean and she was no longer with anyone.

In a room all alone and by herself she wondered just what she was supposed to do next. Sure it was a physical but they didn't even have anyone waiting for her to direct her what to do or any sign of a test. Turning around at the sound of something behind her, Phoenix found a little girl dressed in an elegant red dress with lace at the neck and wrists, tights and black Mary Janes. "Phoenix Bennett, welcome to The Hive."

"Thank you…um…where is the people I am supposed to meet?"

"I am here, there is no more."

Heart speeding up, worry settled in. Phoenix quickly assessed the room and the distance to the door. Easy code system that she could break through. This was a mistake. What did she get herself into if a little girl in this facility ran the place? What was Sarah thinking? "I think there has been a misunderstanding. I was told I would be getting a job here and that entailed getting an interview today. Where are the adults?"

No answer. Silence. The image flickered of the girl and that was when Phoenix panicked. She wasn't real, she was a computerized being. Running past her she went to start on the code only to stop as she felt something prick into her skin in her back along her spine. Phoenix turned where a hole in the wall showed something like a dart, hand reaching behind and pulling out an empty test tube. Her world blurred and her limbs grew tired.

"Who are you?" she slurred as she slid to the ground fighting the drug inside her, not getting an answer as she slid into unconsciousness.

**A/N:**** Thanks for reading and I hope you liked it so far. Please review and please no hate. Make it constructive.**


	2. Chapter 2

Everything was silent. Phoenix could tell she was unconscious because she could feel her body lying on a table, her eyes were closed and the effects must have been wearing off. Scrunching her brow she released a small sound of discomfort. A raging headache had taken residence within her and her mouth felt like cotton. Slowly fluttering her lids open, Phoenix registered the brightness of the room. Illuminated panes of fluorescent lighting blinded and made the headache worse. Turning her head to the side she took in her surroundings.

A small room, stainless steel table and vacant of life but herself. Sitting up and standing was an effort, considering her legs felt like noodles. A pain came from the inside of her arm at the bend of her elbow; the wound there looked almost as if a changeling had bitten her. She regretted ever reading about them growing up now. Phoenix noticed her clothes had changed to white long pants, a white t-shirt and white shoes. On her wrist she bore a medical bracelet stating her name, age and a line of numbers that didn't make sense.

Finding the door where a small glass window was placed to look out, she could see the workers, but for some reason they couldn't see her. "Hello? Can anyone hear me?"

Some stopped confused; however, it didn't last as they continued on. There was a perfect view into the workspace of the employees where they sat at their desks. One of which was her friend Sarah, that was when she pounded on the door trying to get her attention. The third try she stopped, bringing her hands to her head to quell the headache. The lights flickering and the sound of a fire alarm didn't help the matter. Phoenix watched as others went to follow procedure, doors sliding closed, locking them in with no escape. Sarah moved to the front of the group and attempted the pass code like Phoenix had taught her. Panic took over instantly.

"What's wrong?"

"The doors won't open."

"Has someone tried the ones in the back?"

"Locked as well."

"What is going on? Why can't we get out?"

Voices echoed like bullets to Phoenix's ears, wincing as the headache grew, she shakily touched her fingers to the glass window as a gas flooded from the ceiling sprinklers. Screaming, running and falling to the ground coughing had her wanting to have a breakdown. Sarah was pounding on the glass paned doorway begging for help and Phoenix could do nothing. No one was coming to help them. Why? "Sarah!"

In that moment it was as if she had heard her, looking straight at her, sliding down and a look of death taking over. This couldn't be happening. What kind of a job was this that they murdered their own staff? Problem was why wasn't Phoenix reacting as well? Resorting to kicking and punching, causing her knuckles to hurt and bleed, she cried when it became useless. She should have never let Sarah come here, she should have never accepted the job herself and then they would have been safe. Why must her friend die and she live? What made her so special to be locked away in this very room witnessing the heinous acts of the corporation? A scream ripped from her as a high pitched chime rang in her ears; it ended as abruptly as it started. The lights went out and not a soul was breathing but hers in what she remembered was called The Hive.

888

Hours had passed. It had to have. Phoenix had no sense of time and she had resorted to sitting on the table again observing the wound and staring at the floor. Would someone ever come? That was the question that plagued her mind as she sat there. She could hear water in the distance; the walls couldn't absorb anything here. From the sound of it some areas had flooded and were starting to leak.

"Great…just great." Footsteps caught her attention. Her head jerked up and she rushed to the door to look out. "Hello? Someone there?" Pounding on the glass to get the attention as the footsteps got closer she decided to yell harder than she had before.

"Do you hear that?" a female voice asked from the other side.

Too dark to see and Phoenix could only detect dark figures moving here and there. "I'm in here!" she screamed once more.

"Yeah, but where is it coming from?" a male answered.

The footsteps carried on as they searched before she was face to face with a person. Slamming her hand against the door to say they were right in front of her, his face grew determined. "Behind this wall."

Wall? It was a door for heaven's sake and he said it was a wall! Phoenix stepped back a little as she listened to what sounded like more talking and finally a seal was released. Air flooded into the room from the hallway and Phoenix stood there as guns were trained on her. Stock still, eyes wide and yet horrified…this must have been the rescue team. "Name?" the dark haired female with brown eyes and a harsh expression barked.

"Phoenix Bennett."

"Do you work here?"

"It was supposed to be my first day-"

"Why are you locked in here?"

"Woke up here."

"Why aren't you dead?"

A hand rested on the woman's shoulder from a dark skinned man with a kinder face as he said the name of the woman. Rain. The guns were lowered and the others went back to looking cautious about the area they were in rather than being concerned if she was a threat or not. Phoenix stepped closer and exited the prison she was in to find nine people. Six of them dressed like they were black ops, the other three looked as if they were normal. Why was the guy in the blue button up handcuffed though? Standing next to them rather than the others Phoenix nodded her head in acknowledgement.

"Hey. Were you found here too?" she inquired.

Seeing them shake their heads and say no, sadness filled her. Was she the only one alive in this place? Why else would the one named Rain interrogate her on why she wasn't dead? They were ushered to move forward, heading towards a certain location. Phoenix just hoped that they were leaving but it didn't appear to be that way as it got colder. They were moving deeper into the Hive. The more they went, the more worried she got. Were there anymore survivors? It didn't seem they were expecting to find someone alive down here, that's why they looked so surprised to stumble upon her.

"Excuse me…um…"

"James, but please call me One," the dark man filled in.

"One…what exactly happened here? I saw them die but why did they die?"

One looked at her as they walked, she could tell he had already went through this with the woman wearing the red dress and the man beside her. They must know each other in some way… "There is a computer that controls the Hive. Her name is the Red Queen. She did it to them."

"You mean the little girl?"

That stopped all of them. "You've met her?" Rain asked.

"Briefly and it didn't end well."

"We don't know why she killed the poor bastards," Rain finished.

Phoenix felt disappointed. She hoped for answers, sure the important one was who but the why mattered. Her friend was killed by her job; Phoenix was looking for the reason. If she ever saw the Red Queen again there was going to be payback and a heavy amount of questioning with screams. "One of those poor bastards you are talking about was my friend," Phoenix glared at Rain.

A slight pain jerked in her head, feeling as though the headache could come back she calmed down and followed the group with the woman and man that weren't bound as they split up. She'd rather go with them than stay with Rain anyways. One was definitely nicer than her. The woman in the red dress looked at Phoenix and put her hand tentatively on her forearm. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thanks." A beat. "If you don't mind me asking, if you weren't found here then why even come here? What are your names?"

"We don't remember. They said that we are suffering from memory loss. It's coming back slowly. Wish it would come back faster."

"At this point, I envy you."

The woman smiled a little, however the man alongside her didn't seem to show much hospitality. The group came to a stop in some sort of a control room with a heavy set door. Things didn't feel right in this place and she was not about to look through the little window to see what was behind there. Phoenix wanted to stop the one she was talking to from going to do so but decided against it. With no memories she would probably be curious too. "What's taking so long?"

A man at the computer was being hounded as he typed as fast as possible. "Red Queen's defenses are in place. She's making it difficult."

'_I don't have a good feeling about this.'_

Phoenix began to search the area with her eyes, the atmosphere growing thick with unease, especially when the door lifted up to reveal a blackened hallway. One took point to check if safe, slowly creeping along until the lights came on. She turned to face the other direction, rubbing her arms to remove the metaphysical vibe riding on her skin. The need to run and get out was very high, for some reason these people were here to do a very bad thing and they didn't even know it. How could she stop it from happening? She was just one person and they saved her, it would be rude to try and intervene.

Commotion started from behind, closing her eyes she brought her hands to her head. The high pitched noise back and overbearing once more as another alarm came into play. The quiet man not dressed in black came to Phoenix and asked if she was okay. At least that was what she thought he was saying. Yelling overtook the room and finally it all stopped. Phoenix opened her eyes tentatively and met the man's concerned orbs. "What happened?" she breathed, turning her attention to the door that was now opening to reveal slices bodies.

Feeling as if she was about to throw up she held her breath instead. It was down to the four of them now. Whatever happened in there proved to her that the horror was not over. Not in this place.


	3. Chapter 3

**Note:**** Now you may recognize sentences from the movie in here. I wanted to follow some of it so then the OC can understand as well and to keep it like the movie. I only am going to do that for certain information like The Red Queen and some of Alice and Spence. Hope you enjoy! :)**

In and out. Everything had become a blur as they met up once more with the others. Phoenix was calculating just how many of them were left and how many might not be getting out. Sure they had removed the motherboard of the Red Queen but that didn't mean that anything was over. Spence remembered his name, the one who had checked on her when she had an episode. It was weird for her, these headache moments. Only happened twice so far but never happened before in her life. Did they do something to her while she was knocked out?

"Do you all work for this corporation?" Phoenix asked, it seemed the right time to and the right question. "I'm getting the feeling that this might not be an accident what happened here and what did before now."

Rain stared at her and shook her head with a snicker. Why did it appear that she thought she was out of her league? Phoenix didn't appreciate how Rain was treating her. In her mind Phoenix should be dead like the rest and yeah she got lucky but she saw no reason for the trained woman to act like she has beef with her. "Time to head back to the surface. Our mission is complete," Kaplan informed.

Phoenix had learned the name of him as well. It was a relief to hear that they were leaving, about time too. A sound off to their right as they were beginning to head towards the door to the Dining Hall made them stop and Rain went off with gun up to check it out. After a while of waiting and a yell, the group headed towards where she was to find she was bitten and what looked like a survivor. "She was crazed. She bit me."

Eyes locked onto the form of the person, Phoenix stared transfixed. The words of the others floating around her but never being absorbed as she watched the figure get up and disappear. Clearly they had been shot, that is what bothered her. Pivoting to face the direction they came from she could sense things coming towards them. "There's more."

Everyone glanced at her as if she was crazy, speaking out randomly. They all seemed to understand as other people started to come out of the woodworks making sounds as if they were animals. Guns were raised around her. Bullets bombarding the bodies causing them to fall or jerk before they stood back up again. Just a scratch, nothing more. Phoenix couldn't move, just stare at them as they came closer. One moved right past her without a second glance. She wasn't invisible so she was confused at what the problem was.

"They're everywhere!"

"We have to get out of here, there are too many."

Some sort of instinct kicked inside of Phoenix as she whipped her leg around and made contact with the things head. Hearing a sickening crunch and seeing a dent where her foot connected she noticed it wasn't getting up. Rain shouted to go for the head after witnessing the act as they all retreated for the doorway and kept shooting. The woman came over to Phoenix with Matt to help them over since they were unarmed. "How did you do that?" Matt inquired.

"I have no idea," she replied with a nervous laugh.

Helping him with the handcuffs at his back, not caring if anyone protested. They were in a life and death situation here and it was not the time for worrying about letting someone go. Quickly heading towards where Kaplan was fidgeting with the passcode for the door. Phoenix decided to help, telling him to go since he had a gun and to tell her the code as she punched it in. Once it was accepted and the doors opened fear struck her. So many people were on the other side looking horrible and completely dead. None of them moved however as they just stared at her, crowded there. When J.D. came up and pulled her away it was as if someone had snapped loudly and activated them. They all reached at once and took J.D. once Phoenix was out of the way.

"NO!" Rain shouted, trying to get to him and getting another bite in the process.

'_Why didn't they take me?'_ Phoenix thought, standing stock still until the door was shut.

The Dining Hall had no more enemies alive and standing there as they found it was the best place to set up until they found a way out. No one wanted to bring up the fact of what happened just then but she could tell they were all staring at her. However the only one that was brave enough to come up to her was the woman in the red dress. "What did they do to you here?"

Shaking her head she didn't have an answer. Pausing, she scrunched her brows together and glanced at the others, seeing someone was missing. "Where's Matt?"

The woman looked around before taking off to find him. Phoenix would have loved to go with her, especially knowing what they were up against. No one should be left alone, it was just that she had a feeling there was more to the woman than was being remembered. She trusted her and wanted to confide in her. They still needed to find a way out of there. "All the exits are blocked by those things," Kaplan voiced.

"So we're stuck here? We have to be back at that platform at the mansion before the doors close. There has to be a way," Rain replied.

Phoenix slowly headed away from them, needing time to think as she walked through the rows of storage boxes tall enough to hold her in each one. Back at the chamber, the bodies that had been sliced and diced were no longer there. Staring down the hallway she knew that the Red Queen was on silent and shut down, walking down and into the actual chamber she took in everything around her. All of this was because of a computer that looked like a little girl. Bringing her hands up to observe she trailed to the mark on her inner elbow.

'_What happened to me?'_

Minutes passed while she remained there when the rest showed up, the woman leading them with the bag that contained the motherboard. "What are you doing?" Phoenix asked worriedly.

"Turning her back on. She'll know a way out of here."

"That is not a good idea," Kaplan piped in.

"That homicidal bitch killed my team," Rain said.

"That homicidal bitch might be our only way out of here." Phoenix stepped closer and covered her hand over the mark as the board was placed back in. "That circuit breaker you were talking about can you bypass it?"

"Yeah."

"So do it." The woman stepped back once she was done and they waited when Kaplan explained the situation, that if she tried anything he'd fry her.

A burst of sound and red light came in between them before disappearing. Phoenix snapped her head around, finding a camera and seeing it situating to stare at them. "Alice…there you are. Things I gather have gone out of control. I did warn you didn't I?" the voice of the little girl came. The woman seemed to recognize the name slightly and Phoenix gathered that that was her name. "Phoenix. How are you handling?"

Tightening her jaw, she fought Rain as she removed her hand covering the mark, anger pouring out of her as she ran for the board cursing, getting held back by Matt and Alice. "What did you do to me? What is going on here?" Phoenix spoke up.

"Research and development. The T-Virus was a major medical breakthrough. Although, it clearly also possessed, highly profitable military applications. You, Phoenix show signs of a successful development with the T-Virus."

"Why am I not like those things out there then? What are they?"

"Genetics. Even in death, the human body still remains active. Hair and fingernails continue to grow. New cells are produced and the brain itself holds a small electrical charge that takes months to dissipate. The T-virus provides a massive jolt both to cellular growth and to those trace electrical impulses. Put quite simply, it reanimates the body."

"It brings the dead back to life?" Rain asked.

"Not fully. The subjects have the simplest of motor functions. Perhaps a little memory, virtually no intelligence…They are driven by the basest of impulses, the most basic of needs…"

"Which is?"

"The need to feed."

Phoenix swallowed and started to slide to the floor to sit. She was infected with the T-virus that made her friend and those other people out there like monsters. Like zombies that she had seen in movies, except this was real. The only problem was that she was not acting like them, she was perfectly normal despite the lack of attention from them and the martial arts shit. She wasn't even human anymore from it sounded. A genetic experiment…

"How do you kill them?"

"Severing the top of the spinal column or massive trauma to the brain are the most effective methods."

"You mean shoot them in the head?"

"Why did you kill everybody down here? Besides Phoenix that is," the question came from Matt, his eyes meeting hers.

"The T-virus escaped into the air-conditioning system and an uncontrolled pattern of infection began. The virus is protean…changing from liquid, to airbourne, to blood transmission-depending on its environment. It is almost impossible to kill," the Red Queen explained. "I couldn't allow it to escape from the Hive. So…I took steps. You must understand, those who become infected, I can't allow you to leave. Just one bite, one scratch from these creatures is sufficient and then, you become one of them. A check of my systems indicate my main drive circuit breaker has been disabled. May I ask why?"

Rain didn't look so good at the news, the two bites she had received earlier wasn't any good indication. Phoenix stood up and went to her, silently giving a look that said she wasn't alone. Though they both highly doubted Rain would end up anything like Phoenix. As Alice asked for a way out and told the computer the situation of being controlled by them to be safe, they all prepared to do what was directed.

'_If I'm infected, does that mean that I will even be able to get out of here like everyone else?'_


	4. Chapter 4

The sewage system of the Hive was the Red Queen's master plan for escape. It wasn't disgusting as it was nerve-wracking. Any moment they all expected something to come out and Phoenix wasn't sure if she wanted to go through another encounter with them not attacking her. Though, she stood as close to Alice as possible at the front, she wanted to be aware of an attack first hand rather than see it. Maybe this was a good thing, if they didn't go for her she could help the others for a bit right? Her gut twisted at the thought, being the brave one to wall up against these things.

"We've seen this before!" Spence said angrily. "We're going around in circles. I am not going to listen to her. Who cares if this is the route she gave us?"

"Enough already," Rain grabbed his shoulders and pinned him against a round wall grate.

"She's right," Phoenix spoke up, walking up to them and staring into his eyes. "We don't have time to yell and fight. Wasting our energy on that is useless when those things are on our tail. This is our only chance to get out and you'd think I would have every reason not to believe it but I have to. We all have to."

Spence stared back at her for a long moment before arms came through the holes of the grate and grabbed him. "That is not going to hold, keep mov-" Alice broke off as others were coming in from the front of the tunnel and the back.

Everyone was pushing the grate back as it broke free while Phoenix was coming up with a plan. Seeing the pipes just as Alice did, they nodded at each other as Alice yelled to climb up on the pipes. "Go! I can hold them off while you guys get up. They won't hurt me," Phoenix added.

Knowing they were going to protest, she pulled them out of the way and made them get up. Rain was still holding the grate refusing to let her take over when they both saw J.D. "Go up, I've got this. I'll follow."

"No, it's not him anymore. Remember? Go!"

Just as J.D. went to lunge for Rain's neck, Phoenix grabbed his head and twisted hearing a snap. Rain went up the pipe while Phoenix stood there in the middle of a mass hoard of the things. None of them moved for her but attempted to reach for the others on the pipes. Going to climb the pipes to join them, something grabbed her ankle and she looked down to see Sarah. Mouth open and making the same sounds, no intelligent recognition in her eyes or face. Swallowing, the hand wouldn't let go of her until Alice and Matt tugged her away.

Once up, she noticed just how bad things were. Kaplan had gotten bit on the leg on his way up and Rain was still bleeding profusely from her two bite wounds. "She was right…" they glanced at Kaplan sweating and holding his wound, "We're all going to die down here."

"No, we're getting out. All of us. Come on, we need to crawl," Alice spoke as they all continued forward avoiding the hands that seemed to get closer to them.

Ahead a crossroads of pipes held from wires to a square grate. Their escape. Spence kicked it in and climbed through, followed by Matt, Rain and Phoenix. The structure didn't hold for Alice and Kaplan, falling at a ninety degree angle. All it came down and Alice jumped to make it leaving Kaplan a meal and fighting for himself. It all happened so fast before they left him behind as per his wishes. Were they ever going to get them all out when the number was decreasing?

"Hey…" Rain called to Phoenix who was being helped to walk by Matt and Spence. "Thanks for helping me back there…"

Phoenix opened her mouth and stopped, giving a nod instead as they walked to the overhead floor grate. Climbing up onto the floor that was nearby where they found her, she realized she had seen these rooms on the way in. Moving towards the window of a lab she tried to remember what had been in them. Alice came up beside her and seemed to be having memories flood through her. Placing her hand on her shoulder she wondered just what it was.

"The anti-virus."

"What?" the word left her lips in disbelief.

The other three maneuvered over to them and inside the room that was flooded at the second step from the landing. "There's a cure. The process can be reversed."

"But…"

"You're going to be okay." The words were for Rain, which made sense, Phoenix wasn't in any danger of turning into them, but Rain was. The other thing was that Phoenix doubted the cure would even work on her. "This is where they kept the T-virus."

"How do you know all this?" Matt inquired.

"Because I was going to steal it. I was your sister's contact."

"You betrayed her. You caused all of this."

"I don't remember."

"Matt stop," Phoenix glared at him. "If anything you have learned from this, down here, it is that Alice has done everything to get us out. She can't remember but she would never betray anyone from what we've seen. Now you are not the only one who lost someone down here. Just stop."

Her attention moved to Spence who seemed a little in his own memory flashback and electrical sparks began to rush through her system. Stepping closer to him she wanted to keep an eye on what he was going to do as he remembered. "Spence…" Eyeing the gun on the table that Alice left, Phoenix slowly moved over and grabbed it, pointing it at him.

"What are you doing?" Matt asked worriedly.

"Spence? Is there something you'd like to share?"

The movement was fast as he removed the gun from her hands, ignoring her as he looked at Alice. "We can still get out of here. Come with me. We can have everything we've ever wanted." His attention went back to Phoenix. "Especially now that we have her. Do you know how much she'd be with the vials on the market? Money is out there, just waiting. You wouldn't believe how much."

"Is that how you thought all my dreams were going to come true?" Alice said as Matt jumped down and stood in front of them.

"Back off." A beat. "You can't just wash your hands of this, we work for the same company. You knew what they did."

"I was trying to stop them."

"Where is the anti-virus Spence? No matter your sick twisted game, you cared for everyone, including Rain until we got to this point," Phoenix stepped in.

"It's on the train. Couldn't have been standing nearly three feet from me and I so nearly made it out. Didn't realize that bitch of a computer had defense systems outside the Hive," he explained.

They all saw behind him as a woman emerged from the water, knowing just what needed to be done to get out of here alive with the gun and get to the anti-virus. While Alice talked back and to distract him, Phoenix moved back towards the stairs inch by inch. The attack happened quickly and ended just the same. Spence held the gun at Alice's head as he headed for the door and grabbed Phoenix, the gun now trained on her in a stranglehold. The door shutting them apart from them, trapping the others.

"What the hell do you need with me?"

She fought as he pulled her along towards the exit. "You are worth a pretty penny, didn't even know you were down here when I did what I did. Thanks to the Red Queen, I have you to add to the pile."

"I'm just a person."

"Not anymore."

Arriving at the platform to the train he, sat down and aimed the gun at her. Knowing that if she made any movements he wouldn't think twice about harming her. Killing her would be a waste but she would heal over a flesh wound to make her back off. About to inject the anti-virus into his bloodstream, a growl echoed in the large space. The moment the gun was off of her as he looked around she backed up against a concrete pillar and stared above him with wide eyes at the creature. It was unlike anything she had ever seen, and wincing and jumping as he was torn into screaming and wailing. She couldn't move at the sight and if she did what if it turned on her and did the same.

Once it was done with him it headed for her slowly, calculated as its tongue came out to scent her. Torture waiting for it to make its move and when it did, the hand came towards her and scratched her long and deep across the stomach. It jumped above her and climbed the pillar as she sunk to the floor of the platform, convulsing from the wound and the blood coming out. It was deep enough to know it would kill her in time. Whether the others would make it and they would get out in time was another matter.

Head rising to the ceiling to stare at the camera there she knew the Red Queen had watched the whole thing. The red light on it suddenly flickered and shut off. Her head went to the entrance, staring and hoping for help. Closing her eyes for a little bit, her own blood coating her hands making them wet, warm and red. A shake to her shoulders came and she fluttered her lids open to look into the face of Matt. Smiling she coughed a bit. "What took you so long?"

Shaking his head he helped her up and onto the train. Finding Kaplan had survived made her happy. Their numbers had just gone up after a psycho was disposed of. "Are you alright?" Alice asked once the train started to move. "We saw the whole thing."

"So that's what the bitch was doing…" Phoenix breathed and glanced at Rain by her side not looking any better. "Better give her the anti-virus and worry about me later. Okay? I'll be fine for now."

Alice moved reluctantly to Rain, before adhering the shot. "You'll take care of it," Rain slurred.

"Hey, no one else is going to die," Alice replied, receiving Rain's watch that held the countdown on it as she fought the T-virus.

Phoenix could no longer feel her arms and grew sad watching the interaction. Thankfully after a few long breaths held, Rain showed signs of still being alive. A tiny laugh left Alice before everything went to Hell. "Matt!" Phoenix croaked.

She saw the claws rip into his bicep through the steel of the train. It didn't take a genius to know it was that monster that attacked her on the platform. The sound of steel being ripped into over and over made her cringe. Kaplan screaming told them that he was no longer with them and Matt shutting the door to the controls of the train spoke more volumes than anything. So close to getting out alive and then this happens. The back door that was shut last blew inward allowing the beast to enter. Shots rang out from the gun Alice held. Her increased heart rate at what was going on made more blood flow from her wound.

Shaking and convulsions were getting worse. "Open the doors!" Alice yelled.

Nothing sounded right anymore, nothing made sense and the world blurred and shifted more than the train. Leaning over she vomited blood and black goo. When the train stopped she was being lifted. "Is it dead?" she asked.

Up the stairs as the blast doors shut confirmed the question. Collapsing to the foyer floor, Phoenix stared up at Alice. "I failed all of them…" her face fell at the words she was speaking to Matt and her.

"Listen to me, there is nothing else you could have done. The corporation is guilty here not you. We finally have the proof and that way Umbrella can't get aw-"

"What's going on? Alice? Matt?" A body hitting the floor at her feet, she couldn't see but knew something was wrong. A bright light flooded the room, blinding Phoenix as hands grabbed her and carried her onto a gurney, a mask going over her face to help her breathe and people in white hazmat suits.

"Project Phoenix has made it. Take her back with the other two and keep her under observation. I want to know just exactly what she is capable of."


	5. Chapter 5

**Apologies! This is the real document for some reason I uploaded the draft :S**

A long sleep, filled with dreams of horrible nightmares and colliding with warm possibilities that were washed down the drain. Noises didn't come to her and she knew that something had happened but she couldn't wake up. Phoenix was stuck inside her own body, the darkness removing the dreams and leaving her wondering what was going on. It wasn't too hard to figure out that whatever she was seeing wasn't reality because she couldn't feel anything. Things were too weird. The last thing she remembered was more of a haze of white suits. Alice…Matt…what happened to them? Why couldn't she wake up?

Something touched her and began to tug things from her skin making her scream in the darkness surrounding her. Every part of her body the sensation continued before she fluttered her eyes open to a dim room. Hospital? A dark figure stood above her where she lay and would not focus. Deep muffled words pounded into her ears making her wince. Lifting her hands to rub at her eyes, a small light flickered in the room to illuminate those near her. These were obviously not the ones who took her as they were wearing black suits just like the ones she remembered but with names on them and a…a red and white umbrella insignia.

Olivera…Eyes shifting fast she began to panic. Sitting up and looking down at herself she was barely dressed and holes were in parts of her body from what she could see needles with tubes had been. Dear God what did they do to her again? "Miss? Are you alright?"

Instinct kicked in, knowing they were the ones who belonged to the corporation, otherwise why would they be wearing that sign? They had hurt her…they had woken her up. Reaching for the knife she found on his person she stood quickly and held it to his throat while her other was on the gun pointing it away from her. She should have been thinking, how did she do that, but she was more focused on the fact of getting out and surviving. "Who are you and where am I?"

Her voice growled but he never flinched and neither did his partner as he aimed his gun at her. The man Olivera stared dead into her eyes, there was no threat there with him. Backing off slowly she held onto the blade. "Carlos Olivera. You're in an abandoned building. We saw you when trying to get to the helicopter."

Helicopter? Abandoned building?

"If this is building is abandoned then why am I still here?" she paused as she took note of the friend under the weather, bleeding from some sort of wound that he had taken on. "What is going on?"

"You don't know…"

An exchanged expression from Carlos and his partner holding the wounded other told her that there was a lot that she had missed when she was incapacitated. The Hive. Those people in white suits. Phoenix realized instantly what was probably occurring. The infection had come to the surface from the damned place she had escaped from with Alice and Matt. "We have to kill your friend." That caused shock and uproar from the one carrying him. "I've seen this before and you have to kill him. He will turn soon from the looks of it."

No one spoke after what she said, instead they headed out of the room and towards a direction in the building determined for a way to rescue their friend. Phoenix followed only after pulling on a pair of white pants and a shirt with boots left in the room. Strange how it was her size, the outfit decorated in many straps and buckles and what looked like holsters for weapons. That made no sense and it made her worry even more. Once caught up with them in a huge room with metal crates and broken glass. It was obvious to see there was no helicopter.

"We don't need weapons we need a way out!" his partner shouted and kicked the container.

"I don't think these were meant for us," Carlos replied.

Phoenix wasn't paying attention to what they were concerned about, she was more aware of the comrade getting up and heading for Carlos. Running for them she was too late when it bit him. Once he was dead she removed his weapons to load herself up. She had never really shot someone and she didn't really know how to use them that well but inside it didn't matter. Whatever they did to her she felt like she could do anything that she didn't know how. Like she was in a war and knew exactly what to do.

"Are you going to suggest we kill me now too?"

She stopped and stared back at him as he walked up to her with his partner. "Not yet, I just knew he was too far gone to have time to save him. You…you have hours."

The partner named Nicholai grabbed her by the bicep when she tried to find a way out of the building. "Who are you?"

"Phoenix."

"When you said you've seen this before, what did you mean?"

"It's a long story."

The three of them headed out, finding an ambulance on the way they stopped to tie off Carlos's wound. Phoenix decided to go to the left of them to the store that was there to see if there was anything they could use or more likely she could use. Finding a shotgun and some shells under the register she placed the safety and slipped it through the straps on the back of her shirt and the rounds in her pockets. Picking up a cell phone she wondered if it still worked. When it began to ring her hand she flinched, pausing to glance at Carlos and Nicholai who were now staring at her she flipped it open and answered.

888

"Where did you serve?" Carlos asked.

Phoenix snapped her head to look at him. "I didn't."

"But you seem trained."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Hell, I hardly believe it."

"Try us." The challenge came from Nicholai.

Inhaling and exhaling she knew she probably shouldn't but she was a stranger in their midst and she wanted to kill their friend and she attempted to kill Carlos when he woke her up. "You work for Umbrella Corporation I see and well, they were the ones started something that they shouldn't have. The end result is what you see here. It used to be underground and I had no idea what I was getting into when a job offer came to me. I witnessed it all down there…it started there and they did something to me. I am not usually like this. I don't know this stuff but you see me like I do. Umbrella can't be trusted in my eyes. Not after all of this."

Silence invaded the area as they headed toward the destination the man on the phone and told them. They were to go to the Junior High and find his daughter and bring her to him. He'd give them a way out of the city since it was on quarantine. Since they were going to sterilize it at sunrise. Upon entering the High School they managed to split up, Phoenix found herself alone and each sound had her on alert even when the scream ripped through the hallway to her ears she ran towards it instead of from it.

At the sight of children huddled over something it was not something she wanted to do as she aimed and shot them one by one with a speed that should have shocked her. When they were all dead she knew she should have felt remorse or sickness of what she did but they were infected. It had already taken them over and there was no way that they could be healed. Phoenix wished that there was a cure for those already dead. There had to be some part of them still in there regardless. That was wishful thinking. Seeing the body of the woman they were feasting on she followed through with a bullet to her head before picking up what she had dropped. A video camera.

"Who the fuck are you?"

Turning to find another woman, short black hair, blue tank top, shorts with a tied jacket around the waist. She almost appeared like Laura Croft from Tomb Raider. "Language. There is someone alive in here. Don't want to scare them do we?"

Both faced the girl coming out from her hiding place and they stared at her. "How did you know she was here?"

"You don't wanna know. Name is Phoenix by the way to answer your first question. Did you get a call for her too?"

"Wasn't aware he was sending more. Jill Valentine. Which means she is Angela."

Angela glanced from one to the other. "My father sent you to get me. I've been scared to leave especially since there are some still in here."

Phoenix couldn't take her eyes from the girl, the voice was familiar and it triggered a little hatred since it was the Red Queen's voice. Angela wasn't the Red Queen though, that bitch was a computer and though it might sound like her and look like her it wasn't. The three of them made their way down the hallway to find the others that they had come with. When the only way out was to head through the cafeteria infested with some of those things it only escalated once the dogs were made known.

It all happened so fast, one minute they were beside her and the next they were gone while Nicholai had come and died for his efforts. She couldn't save him in time with how many of them there were. Managing to find herself alone in the Cafeteria she held her guns out to scan the area not ready to put them down for surprises just yet. When a sound came to her left she spun about to shoot and refrained from pulling the trigger. Sighing and letting them drop to her sides she smiled at Alice. "Nice to see you alive."

888

After a few minor infractions they were all sitting in the car a little tightly while Alice explained what happened to her and helped Carlos with the anti-virus they found in Angela's lunch box. Phoenix was glad to hear that she wasn't the only one infected and had survived it somehow but it didn't seem that that the others were too keen on three time bombs they weren't positive about. Carlos was more trusting and seeing a connection between Alice and him made Phoenix turn to look out the window as she sat in the front with L.J.

What was the purpose of infecting two people with the T-virus at the Umbrella Corporation? Phoenix noticed how she wasn't herself anymore, how she had knowledge she didn't know about and strength and ability to use weapons that came easy like breathing. Closing her eyes memories of the time in the Hive as well as briefly in the foyer of the mansion she recalled what had been said.

'_Major medical breakthrough…possessed highly profitable military applications…'_

Genetic weaponry and the two of them were their experiments. Nothing but that and Phoenix walked right into it, having no life to really be cared for by scientists who sought out an orphan, ostracized by those she had run into. They had to have looked her and Sarah up, knowing they were out there. The perfect specimen and the willing worker to die for their cause. Opening her eyes when they came to City Hall she felt Alice's hand on her shoulder when they stepped out of the vehicle.

"We're in this together and whatever they did to us, we will use it against them. First, we have to get the hell out of here and save them," she motioned her eyes to Jill, L.J., Carlos and Angela.

"Karma," Phoenix shrugged with a little smile as they both separated from the group, Alice going up the building and Phoenix heading for the Helicopter maneuvering around the guards. Disposing of them as quietly as possible before climbing aboard and making quick work of the one inside it.

Checking the mechanics of it all, she instantly saw flashes of how to fly before swiveling to head to the opening to make sure the others were coming. Stopping when her way was blocked she found she already had weapons in hand and at the ready when the man spoke. "Did you really think it'd be that easy?"


End file.
